Operative centre of free legal aid launched in Dagestan

Within the first month of operation, more than seventy residents of Dagestan have addressed for help to the free telephone call desk. So far, most of them call lawyers on their social problems: labour dispute, and documenting benefits and subsidies.

"The idea of setting up such centre was alive for several years. This is a socially significant project, and judging by the mood of the guys, they want to be demanded and of help for the society, they want to gain experience and practical knowledge," said Abdurazak Dzhamalutdinov, project manager.

The Centre was established in January. According to Mr Dzhamalutdinov, the aim of the project is to strengthen the civil society and the rule of law. He stressed that now the society is overwhelmed by legal nihilism; and people, generation after generation, lost the trust in the power of the law. Applicants are often sceptical; they do not believe that their problems can be resolved.

"We bring not just the letter of the law but also its direction to people. Not everyone knows how to realize one's rights. If a persons needs to go to a specific body or official, we are arming the applicant with the rules required to him or her on his or her problems," said Dzhamalutdinov.

Israpil Tarkinskiy, Coordinator pf the Centre, has noted that the Centre's lawyers are volunteers, working for free. "The advantage of our Centre is that one has no need to go anywhere in order to get answers to elementary questions: they just make a call and get an answer. Citizens are satisfied with our consultations," he said.

See earlier report: "Kadiev: Dagestani commission on militants' adaptation is idling; its lawyers were put in wrong".